NIE NETWORKS: “Sitting in an office wasn’t the right path for me.”
Emma Anderson from Carrickfergus is an Overhead Linesperson with NIE Networks. An outdoor lover and a natural problem-solver, she shares how the NIE Networks Apprentice Academy gave her a hands-on career she never imagined and why more women should consider following the same path.
Every morning starts the same way for Emma Anderson – but no two days end up the same!
First thing she gets her ten-year-old son Thomas ready for the day, drops him with family, and heads out to wherever the network needs her. By 8am she could be anywhere across the east of Northern Ireland, from Jordanstown to Newcastle, working high above the ground on overhead power lines or deep in the earth on underground cables.
“I love that I’m somewhere different nearly every day,” she says. “You get to see so much of the country. It’s interesting work and it feels like it matters.”
Emma lives in Carrickfergus and shares her life with Thomas, her partner and a very special companion, a 32-year-old Shetland pony called Seagrams. “We visit him every day,” she smiles. “He’s part of the family.”
That balance in her life did not happen by chance. Even as a teenager, Emma knew she wanted a future that combined her love of the outdoors with her practical skills.
“I applied to the NIE Networks Apprentice Academy during my first year of A-levels,” she explains. “I was studying Maths, Physics and Biology. I loved STEM subjects, but I also knew I wanted a career that was outside and hands-on. I just knew sitting in an office wasn’t the right path for me. I’m so glad I listened to my gut.”
Coming from a grammar school, the traditional route would have been university. But Emma had a different instinct. Family members mentioned the apprenticeship route with NIE Networks, so she went online and researched it.
“I liked what I saw and went for it,” she says simply.
She completed a Level 3 apprenticeship in Overhead Lines, a three-year programme that combined one day a week at Northern Regional College with time in the training school and out on site. It gave her the qualifications, confidence and experience she needed to step into the role she holds today.
Emma now works as an Overhead Linesperson in customer delivery. Her days can involve building new lines for housing developments, supplying power to new homes, diverting or raising lines for building work, isolating power so people can safely carry out tree cutting, or finding and fixing faults when customers lose electricity.
“If someone loses power, we go out, find the problem and fix it,” she says. “I’m also trained in underground cable jointing and metering, and I’m authorised in high voltage switching. That means I’m part of a team that can respond quickly when something goes wrong.”
“It feels good to be part of future-proofing the network,” she says. “You know the work you’re doing now is going to matter for years to come.”
What Emma loves most about the Apprentice Academy is that it allowed her to earn while she learned.
“I received high-quality training from the instructors and from all the experienced mentors who gave their time and patience to teach me,” she says. “I’ve achieved job security, with plenty of opportunities for growth and development. I will always be glad I made this choice.”
She has continued to build on that foundation, gaining additional skills in underground cable jointing, metering and high voltage switching.
“These give me more variety and make me more valuable to the company,” she explains. “I’d love to progress into a fault and emergency response team or a technician route in the future. For now, I’m happy doing what I do and passing on my training to the new apprentices coming through.”
Being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry brought its own nerves at the beginning.
“I was apprehensive, especially as a young girl just leaving school,” she admits. “But I know I’m just as capable as anyone else. I don’t feel treated differently, especially now I’ve been here so long. Please don’t let it put you off.”
Her advice to young women is clear. “Just go for it. You won’t know until you try how capable you really are. There is so much room for growth. I would highly recommend the Apprentice Academy. I hope more women continue to join. The numbers are growing and it’s refreshing to see.”
Balancing work and family is something Emma takes seriously. She is part of a standby rota and often helps with storm damage repairs, but her son always comes first.
“There’s overtime if you want it, but being a mum is my priority,” she says. “The company supports me to keep a good balance while Thomas is still young.”
Her perfect weekend includes fishing with her son, spending time with her partner, hiking in the Mournes, horse riding or heading out for a run.
NIE Networks Apprentice Academy
A New Generation of Talent. A New Kind of Opportunity.
NIE Networks is opening the door to a new generation of talent through its award-winning Apprentice Academy, inviting people to build real, long-term careers in the energy sector.
This is an industry that is changing fast and NIE Networks is clear that its future workforce must reflect the communities it serves. The company actively encourages applications from women, as well as from ethnic minorities, disabled candidates and those seeking a career change, helping to open up roles that many people may never have considered.
Two apprenticeship routes are available, both combining hands-on experience with industry-recognised qualifications and expert mentoring.
Craftsperson Apprenticeships
Open to anyone aged 16+ by September 2026,.Candidates must hold, or expect to achieve, a minimum of 3 GCSE passes at Grades A*-D (Grades 4-9) to include Maths, English and a STEM-related subject.
Roles include:
- Overhead Linesperson
- Underground Cable Jointer
- Plant Maintenance Electrician
- Workshop Electrical and Mechanical Fitter
Apprentices gain Level 2 and Level 3 vocational qualifications through NIE Networks’ dedicated training schools and approved partners.
Higher-Level Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship
For applicants aged 18+ with GCSE Maths and English and A-levels or an Engineering BTEC. This pathway includes a Foundation Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, delivered in partnership with Northern Regional College.Candidates must hold GCSE Maths and English at grade C or above. Have achieved, or expect to achieve, 3 A levels (at grades A*-C) including Maths or Physics or ;BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering (MMP*) or; BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Engineering (MM*)
For over 50 years, the NIE Networks Apprenticeship Programme has shaped careers in the energy sector. It is the only apprenticeship in Northern Ireland to hold Investors in People Platinum accreditation is also accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and proudly recognised by the Department for the Economy (DfE), and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Applications close on 9 February at 11pm
Find out more and apply at nienetworks.co.uk/apprenticeships
